


The Other One

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e03 The Reichenbach Fall, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 10:56:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1145139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A small ficlet featuring the other Holmes brother alluded to in 3x03. Episode coda for The Reichenbach Fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other One

He sat in his new spot in the tunnel, huddled in his sleeping bag. He had deduced a while ago that this whole saga would result in his brother having to fake his own death, so observing that plans were being made by his fellow friends in the homeless network didn’t surprise him. Of course he didn’t expect to be included this time; everything would be taking place far too near Mycroft for that to be prudent. It would not do for his other brother to realise he wasn’t quite as dead as he was supposed to be. But as Sherlock suddenly popped down next to him, he gave an internal sigh; he should have known his imp of a little brother was never one for sensible suggestions.

 

“Not joining in?”

 

“And just what do you think Mycroft will do when he finds me here?” he states simply.

 

“Nothing,” Sherlock replies with the same inflection.

 

He almost gives Sherlock an incredulous look before his mind fills with the horrible elegant revelation that Sherlock speaks the truth. Mycroft would never do anything that could potentially screw up the plan and put Sherlock’s life in danger. Not his precious Sherlock. Sometimes it was hard not to hate Sherlock a little bit for all the dotage he received. 

 

“Here,” Sherlock says, handing him a roll of twenties. He tucks them away carefully. “I’ll be gone a while.”

 

“You and me both I suspect,” he replies. Sherlock nods. They don’t need to tell each other they’ll be fine. 

 

*

 

At first he ponders whether he will go unnoticed by Mycroft; snobbery maybe blanketing his usual thoroughness to know everything about everyone. But on second thoughts he knows that wouldn’t be the case, Mycroft was too professional to not have every angle covered in a regular operation and would be even more vigilant than his usual excessively vigilant self during this one. So there seemed little point in not being out in the open as he was discussing the mathematics of the timing with Sherlock.

 

“It needs to be co-ordinated properly so the corpse is thrown out at the right moment; once I’m falling it will be too fast to judge.”

 

“Obviously.”

 

Only when Sherlock went off to speak to one of the other members of the homeless network did Mycroft approach him.

 

“And here I thought the reason Sherlock hated me so much was because I’d had you killed,” Mycroft says.

 

“Well, I suppose the attempt itself was enough for him.”

 

“Quite,” Mycroft says, expression blank.

 

He doesn’t bother to gloat; he may be internally revelling slightly in his ability to stand before Mycroft knowing he can’t do anything about it. But he has watched the destruction of Mycroft and Sherlock’s relationship for too long to need to say anything out loud. They all know Mycroft has paid his penance; losing the love of the one person he ever cared for; the one person he ever needed love from. And what it did to Sherlock; that was the tragedy of it all. They were all smart enough to know what words would be said on the matter, so any speech was unnecessary. Regardless on another matter, he said one unneeded line for emphasis.

 

“You will keep a close eye on him.”

 

“Of course.”


End file.
